Unity

Revelation 7:9–17 NRSV

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Psalm 133:1 NRSV

How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

Revelation

John 17:11 NRSV

And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

Romans 12:9–16 NRSV

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Romans

Unity definition: a totality of related parts; an entity that is a complex or systematic whole.

Unity is:

standing before the throne and the Lamb.

Robed in white (forgiven by Christ)

Palm branches (victorious in defeat)

Crying out in one voice (unashamed)

We talk about unity as a value, but maybe it is more of a fruit or result of our faith. Maybe, just maybe it is something that once we have leads us to deeper levels of faithfulness.

And unity grows as we grow closer to Christ. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Christianity is not a set of ideas but a setting of sights upon the Savior.

Rather than focus on our differences, let us focus on Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. let us live urgent and non-anxiously trusting that the power f the Resurrection (the reason we are Easter people) will bring us together.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim n the light of his glory and grace. “Turn your eyes”